This invention relates generally to phonograph record production, and more particularly concerns substantial improvements in the construction, maintenance and replacement of pressing dies.
Recent commercial pressing dies are characterized by rectangular construction wherein the face-frame and base are of one-piece design. The four corners of the die act as a heat sink, slowing the performance or usage time of the die, and also creating a non-uniform heat distribution pattern. This in turn causes unwanted stresses producing warpage in phonograph records. In addition, the spiral or other groove pattern for passing heating and cooling fluid in conventional dies makes cleaning and flushing of the grooves undesirably difficult and time consuming, slowing down the die performance.